


Ingenuity

by haldoor



Category: Firefly
Genre: Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-13
Updated: 2015-04-13
Packaged: 2018-03-22 16:26:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3735694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haldoor/pseuds/haldoor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Warnings/Spoilers:</b> None for the show<br/><b>Disclaimer:</b> Don't own 'em; don't make no money<br/><b>Beta:</b> unbeta'd due to shortness<br/><b>Summary:</b> Mal's making a trade; when the deal seems to be falling short, he gets a little help from the crew</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ingenuity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [guineamania](https://archiveofourown.org/users/guineamania/gifts).



> Written for [](http://guineamania.livejournal.com/profile)[guineamania](http://guineamania.livejournal.com/) as a reward for a weekend challenge at [](http://1-million-words.livejournal.com/profile)[1_million_words](http://1-million-words.livejournal.com/) back in January. This has already been posted at the comm; just putting it here where it belongs

Mal stared across the dusty plain to where the group of locals were standing, and back to his own crew who were lined up next to and behind him. He grinned as Inara – the last of his people to join them here on this hot afternoon – came into line with the others, and turned his gaze back to the opposition.

"The deal was 20,000 platinum, I believe."

"I said 10,000."

Mal smiled, glancing from one side of himself to the other. "I don't rightly see how you expect to get your merchandise at that price."

The man holding forth looked down the row of Mal's crew, his eyes stopping halfway down the line. He frowned, and Mal dipped his brows, waiting.

"20,000 it is," the man said, with something that Mal could only read as fear in his eyes.

"Now, that's more like it," Mal grinned as the man nodded to one of his team, who came forward with a bag and handed it to Mal.

Mal opened the bag and quickly assessed that the original amount was indeed within. He gestured with a hand – his other still ready near his gun – and Jayne and Zoe stepped towards the pallet behind them, lifting the strongbox there and carrying it to place at the feet of the locals.

The man and his sidekicks moved fast from there, checking it and loading it onto a wagon nearby. Within minutes they were gone.

Mal wondered what it was the man had seen, but he didn't question the result. "We'd best be getting' back aboard Serenity 'fore whatever it was that spooked 'em comes for us," he told his crew as he began to move in the direction of the ship.

Kaylee and Book started laughing. Mal cocked an eyebrow in their direction. Kaylee indicated Jayne with a nod towards him. Mal looked at Jayne properly for the first time since dealing began, the sudden change of heart finally making sense. River and Simon were smiling too, and although Wash looked more than a little relieved, there was humor in his eyes too.

Jayne was wearing all of his guns, and his brows looked thicker and more menacing than usual. As if aware of the captain's gaze on him, Jayne scowled deeply, recreating what Mal knew had to be the very expression that had frightened their deal-maker before he'd so much as tried to lengthen the proceedings. 

Mal threw a look Inara's way, and as if expecting it, she bowed her head slightly, confirming his suspicions that Jayne's new look had been helped by a professional in the art of make-up. How they'd guessed the locals would be averse to such a dangerous-looking individual, Mal wasn't about to query; their ingenuity was enough to make him proud.

"Serenity has the finest crew in the 'verse," Mal opined, smiling widely at his people. "Ain't nobody gonna make me believe any different. And I believe it is time to leave this fine place. Who's with me?"

The roar of voices in assent to that certainly made for a warmth inside Mal's heart that only whiskey could possibly match.

~//~


End file.
